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The English education system allows for both publicly and privately
run schools.
All schools must meet government standards covering the quality
of education, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
of pupils, welfare, health, safety of pupils, etc.
In addition, education is determined by the National Curriculum
that sets what is taught in schools, sets attainment targets for
learning and determines how performance will be assessed and reported.
Although privately run schools may determine their own curriculum,
this must have regard to the National Curriculum.
There are four stages to compulsory education in England:
Key Stage 1: (ages 5-7)
Key Stage 2: (ages 8-11)
Key Stage 3: (ages 12-14)
Key stage 4: (ages 15-16)
Non-Compulsory Education: (ages 17 to 18)
Teaching in all government schools must comply with the National
Curriculum for each Key Stage.
After the completion of compulsory education pupils may choose
to study towards two to four AS-Level and/or A-level qualifications
over a two year period.
Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are integrated alongside
their peers in mainstream education wherever possible.
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The Dutch education system allows for both
publicly and privately run schools.
People in the Netherlands have the right
to set up their own schools and to provide teaching based on religious,
ideological, or educational beliefs.
Although privately run schools are free
to determine what is taught and how, all schools must satisfy standards
set by the Ministry for Education, Culture, and Science.
These standards specify subjects to be studied,
the number of teaching hours per year, teaching qualifications,
attainment targets, etc.
All pupils are assessed at the end of each
year and given scores out of 10 for each subject.
Pupils in secondary schools must score at
least 6 out of 10 points for the majority of their subject in order
to be allowed to move up to the next year. Pupil failing this level
may have to repeat a year or be admitted to the next year on a provisional
basis.
In addition to mainstream schools there
are also special schools that cater for children with behavioural
and learning difficulties and other special educational needs.
Teaching in primary special schools is geared
to enabling as many pupils to return to a mainstream primary school,
and where this is not possible to go on to a mainstream secondary
school.
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Government dependent schools (91%):
These are government financed schools that
come under the control of local education authorities. These schools
are open to pupils of all abilities.
Government financed
schools may be Primary Schools for children between the ages
of 5 and 11 or secondary schools for children between the ages of
12 and 18.
About a third of government dependent secondary
schools are 'Specialist Schools' that may choose to select 10% of
their pupils based on aptitude for a specialist subject.
Schools designated as religious schools may give
preference to pupils of a particular faith. However, these schools
are encouraged to be inclusive of other faiths and respect the population
of the local area.
Government dependent private schools
(0.6%):
These secondary schools, called Grammar Schools,
receive more than 50% of their financing from the government and
select their pupils according to ability.
Independent Private Schools (8.4%):
These schools are privately run and privately
financed. They select their pupils according to ability.
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Publicly
run schools (30%):
These schools are open to all children regardless
of religion or outlook and are run by municipal councils. Some base
their teaching on specific ideas, such as Montessori or Dalton method.
Privately run schools (70%):
About 45% of these schools are Roman Catholic
and 45% Protestant. Although they are privately run, they are funded
by the state. All privately run schools may refuse children whose
parents do not subscribe to the belief or ideology on which the
school's teaching is based.
Primary
Schools:
Primary schools may be publicly or privately
run and are free to choose their own
teaching methods and materials. All
teaching must be in Dutch although pupils may be taught for part
of the time in their own language (e.g. Frisian). English is compulsory
in the final two years.
Secondary Schools:
Secondary schools may be publicly or privately
run and may offer one, two, or all three of the following types
of education:
- Pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO)
- Senior general secondary education (HAVO)
- Pre-university education (VWO)
There exist three types of WVO schools:
the atheneum, the
gymnasium (where Greek and Latin are compulsory) and the
lyceum (a combination of atheneum and gymnasium).
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Primary and secondary education is free to all pupils at government
funded school. This includes all books and learning materials.
Fees for independent private schools vary from about £2700 to £19,500
per year, depending on age, whether boarding, and whether other
extras are included.
Students in higher education currently pay £1125 per year towards
the cost of their studies. Local education authorities pay the bulk
of the cost (about 75%) for eligible students.
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Primary education is free to all pupils at both publicly and privately
run schools.
Education at secondary schools is free up to the age of 16 after
which parents pay fees of 885 EUR per year (2002). In addition parents
must also pay for books and other learning material for children
in secondary schools.
Students in higher education pay 1396 EUR per year towards the
cost of their studies and are also entitled to both non-means tested
and means tested grants.
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All pupils at government dependant schools complete a Standard
Assessment Test (SAT) at the end of Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, and
Key Stage 3. The test at the end of Key Stage 2 is used by secondary
schools to sort children into similar ability classes.
The majority of pupils at secondary schools in the English education
systems work towards the same qualifications:
General Certificate of Secondary Education
(GCSE):
GCSE examinations are normally taken in the last year of compulsory
education (the year in which pupils reach 16).
GCSE examinations may be in a wide range of subjects, from academic
to vocational. Pupils typically study towards 5 to 10 GCSE exams
of their choice over a 2 year period. Some subjects (i.e. English
and maths) are compulsory.
GCSE qualifications have grades of A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and
U (where A* is the highest mark, G is the lowest, and U means fail).
General Certificate of Education Advanced
Level (A-Level):
A-Level examinations are normally taken in the second year of non-compulsory
education (the year in which pupils reach 18) and may be in a wide
range of subjects.
Pupils typically study towards 2 to 4 A-Level examinations (of
their choice) over a 2 year period. A-levels have grades of A, B,
C, D, E, and U (where A is the highest mark, E is the lowest, and
U means fail).
A-levels are the main qualification needed by students who want
to go to university.
The entry requirement for A-Level courses is usually 4 or 5 GCSE
passes at grade C or above.
General Certificate of Education Advanced
Subsidiary Level (AS-Level):
The AS-Level qualification comprises half the content of an A-Level.
It is both the first half of an A-level and a qualification in its
own right.
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Pupils receive a school report when they finish primary school
which describes their individual level of achievement and their
potential, and advises on further study. Although not a test certificate,
this report usually includes the results of a nationally set test.
Pupils are admitted to one of the three types of secondary education
based on their primary school report:
VMBO:
A 4-year pre-vocational education
that enables pupils to start vocational secondary education (MBO)
when they reach the age of 16.
At the end of the second year pupils must opt for a particular
sector and a particular learning pathway. The sectors are: Engineering
and Technology, Care and Welfare, Business,
and Agriculture. The learning
pathways are: basic vocational,
middle-management, combined,
and theoretical.
HAVO:
A 5 year general education that enables
pupils to start higher professional education (HBO) when they reach
the age of 17.
At the end of the third year pupils must opt for a specialisation
and choose optional subjects. The specialisations are: culture
and society, economics and
society, science and health,
science and technology. Optional
subject include all subjects taught by the school. All pupils follow
common components that include Dutch, English, another language,
general science, history and social studies, culture and the arts
and physical education.
Pupils with HAVO certificates may be admitted to the fifth year
of VWO.
VWO:
A 6 year pre-university education
that enables pupils to start university education (VO) when they
reach the age of 18.
At the end of the third year pupils must opt for a specialisation
and choose optional subjects very similar to HAVO pupils.
VMBO, HAVO, and VWO results include marks out of 10 for each subject
taken.
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